A Tactic of Gossip

Jackson Showalter (1860-1935) was the United States chess champion four times in the period of 1890 to 1898. He held the title a fifth time from 1906 to 1909. Altogether he won the title five times in matches against four rivals and lost title matches against four. He plays the white pieces in the following game. Black is George Gossip (1841-1907) (illustrated). He played in the championships of Australia, Britain, and Germany. He was also known for chess writing and correspondence play. In this game, Gossip demonstrates a combination which is shown in books on tactics or puzzles, without showing the game and sometimes without citing it. If the combination looks familiar to anyone who cannot remember the game or the players, that is why.